Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
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Disney Review - COMPLETE REVIEW WITH PICS!!!!!!
Okay, FINALLY..................here's my review!!
First, we had an absolutely amazing time. I just LOVE Disney!!! Except for a few hours on our last day we had no rain and although temps got into the upper 90's for a few days it was so dry and breezy that it was tolerable. It wasn't your typical FL swampy weather, the evenings were just INCREDIBLE weather wise!!
I already posted about POR but I'll mention again that it was just beautiful. The grounds are stunning and so relaxing. The Royal Room was REALLY nice and worth the few extra bucks, at least once. The attention to detail in the rooms was amazing, it really felt like you had a room in the castle. 
This was out itinerary:
Friday - Arrive (just relaxed at the resort - AOA for our first night)
Saturday - We went swimming in the morning at AOA, then we spent the afternoon in Disney Spring, lunch at T-Rex. Disney Springs was under construction the last time we were there in 2014, now that it's complete it's just incredible. They really did a beautiful job. There is so much to do, lots of shopping and a really good amount of places to eat. I use to go there as a kid in the 80's when it was just the "marketplace" and there was hardly anything there, now it's just HUGE! The resort buses drop you off over by Planet Hollywood, the area over there is very nice but it doesn't feel very "Disney" like. It's more of an adult area, lots of shops and show venues like Cirque and House of Blues. It feels like a really nice, upscale outlet shopping area in that part of the Springs. With kids especially, head over towards what was the old "marketplace" area. There you will find the Lego Store, kid friendly dining like T-Rex and The Rainforest Cafe, as well as the biggest Disney Store ever, Goofy's Candy Shop, the Toy Store and other fun shopping. My kids LOVE it in that area.
This was our second time at T-Rex, it was really fun! They don't rush you, prices are reasonable, and the kids loved the theme. It's worth doing if you have little ones. Every 20 min or so the whole places comes to life and the dinos move around, the ice cave glows, and there is a thunderstorm. It's pretty neat!
If you stay at POR you can take the boat back and forth to the Springs, it also stops at FQ. It's a really nice relaxing, quiet ride. The POR boat launch is at the end of the marketplace, go past the huge Xmas store and follow the walkway around. You can also hop a boat from there that will take you across the waterway and drop you off over by Planet Hollywood. There are two drop off areas on that side.
At night we headed back to POR and took a horse and buggy ride. That was really fun, the kids enjoyed it too! You can either go around FQ or POR, we chose FQ since we hadn't seen that part of the resort before. The horse and buggy leaves right from POR, behind the lobby near the boat launch. You can also rent bicycles there as well. The horse and buggy ride was only $45 for 25 min, it was worth it.
We went swimming at night in the quiet pool ride outside of Oak Manor which was our building.
Sunday - Magic Kingdom (all day)
We grabbed a quick bite at the resort and then headed right over to MK. We started in Tomorrowland and then headed to Fantasyland where our FP's were. I HIGHLY recommend getting FP to both to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which NEVER had less than a 90 min-120 min wait and Peter Pan which was never less than 75-90 min. The Mine Train is cute but it's a kiddie coaster and it's over in a blink, you couldn't pay me to wait more than 15 min for it. I just LOVE Perter Pan, it's a classic, so I'll always FP that one!
We also took advantage of Rider Switch this trip, that really came in handy in the park because my son was either too small of too afraid for certain rides. The cast members were great about it and it was super easy to use. Just tell them you need a Rider Switch Pass when you enter the line and they will either have you either wait right where the ride loads and switch off as soon as your party is done riding OR they give you a FP so the next person can go right back on. It worked great and we got to do everything, my DD got to ride everything twice which she loved.
We had lunch at Be Our Guest, it was awesome!! It was our second time eating there and we just LOVE it, they did an AMAZING job with the Beast's castle, just amazing. We sat in the ballroom, the kids loved watching it snow outside of the windows. The food is really good too, I had their fresh turkey club sandwich and it was delicious. The portions are a nice size and beverages are unlimited, serve yourself. The other two rooms to eat in are cute too, the music box room and the Beast's room where the rose is located. We waited only 5 minutes to be seated after showing up for our reservation. We pre-ordered our food online before our trip but once you're there, you can make any changes you want to your order. Your food "magically" appears once you're seated.
We did pretty good throughout the day getting on other rides, the wait times weren't insane but they weren't great. We happened to be there at the tail end of "Summit" which was a huge cheerleading competition, that made the crowds a little more annoying for sure in the beginning part of our trip. Most of them were cleared out by Tuesday so that was nice, it made the waits better in the parks.
I was SUPER excited to finally get my Dole Whip in Adventureland, they moved locations to over by Aladdin's Carpets which is fine, but the thing that annoyed me is they got rid of the Dole Whip Swirl. NO more vanilla ice cream at this spot!! WTF??? I've been getting that since the 80's!! I was disappointed. It was good but not the same without my swirl. Bummer.
We got to see Wishes again which I was so happy about since it was ending that week. Such a great show and we had a nice spot on in front of the castle. They only let you line up about 2 hrs before the show which is fine, we got there soon before the fireworks and managed to score a good viewing spot. Disney does a great job directing traffic and keeping paths clear so you can move throughout the Main St area and in front of the castle. They tape off viewing areas and they are VERY strict about where you stand. If you try and stand anywhere you want they WILL ask you to move so do yourself a favor and just find a spot in the designated area right from the start.
We stayed until closing and the wait for a bus for a POR was a little annoying, that resort seems to have SO much more bus traffic than any other resort. The lines were SO long and we usually had to stand but thankfully, it was a quick'ish ride back from MK. We had a fantastic day though overall!!
Monday - Hollywood Studios - We got here early and were basically done and bored by 5'sih so we headed back to the resort for swimming and some fun at the resort arcade. It wasn't terribly busy but the good rides (TOT, Aerosmith, and TS Mania) had consistently long lines. We FP TOT for first thing in the morning and then DH and my DD waited about an hour for Aerosmith. We got a Rider Switch so as soon as they rode I went back on with my DD. We also had a FP for TS Mania, thank god!! Cutest ride but crazy a$$ wait times!! The Great Movie Ride was practically walk on as was Star Tours (so old and dated). There really was not a ton to do, SO much of the park is under construction right now so it's truly become a half day park. My kids had fun, they have some good rides, but then it gets pretty boring which is why we finished up early. Fantasmic is great BUT we didn't want to wait around all night for it so we skipped it this trip.
We had lunch at the Sci Fi Diner, I've been before but not in a long time. It's very cute, it does feel like you're sitting in a drive in movie and the kids loved eating inside of the cars but it's REALLY quiet and dark inside. It got a little boring after a while and it was so dark you could barely see your food. The food was decent but I much prefer the 50's Prime Time Cafe. The food is better and it's just a more fun experience overall.
Bus lines were quick and short leaving around 5 since the park didn't close until 9:30 that night. Once we were back at POR we went swimming in the main big pool, the Old Swimming Hole. It was nice, not too crowded, and the kids loved all of the water features and water slide. We had dinner in the cafeteria which was "eh" and then let the kids play in the arcade for a while.
Tuesday - Epcot (all day) I just love Epcot, I really do. It's always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. We were there for the Flower and Garden Festival, it's extra beautiful this time of year. The topiaries all around the park were magnificent and as were the flower beds and displays. They had a really pretty musical playground area set up for the kids which was at the end of the countries as you were headed towards Journey Into Imagination. My kids had a lot of fun playing there, there were instruments and climbing things and it gave us a much needed break.
We had a FP for Soarin' which is just the BEST!!! We lucked out and because of some wait time issues at HS the day before, a Disney rep texted to apologize and loaded an extra FP for us so we were also able to hit up Test Track without waiting. We had a great lunch at the Garden Grill in the Land pavilion. It was delish but kind of pricey. For the 4 of us, after tip, it was just under $200!! Anyway, it's all served family style, all you can eat, and it's home cooking type of food. Pot roast, turkey, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, etc. We all enjoyed it and the character experience was very nice too. The kids met Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. The restaurant slowly rotates as you dine which is kind of neat.
Later in the day we headed into the countries and spent time sightseeing, shopping, and snacking. I love the countries and the kids enjoyed them too. We had gelato in Italy, caramel corn and beer in Germany, pastries in France. It was awesome. We took our time, sat and just enjoyed the scenery and soaked it all in. The park had EMH that night so by 9 everyone really cleared out and most things, except Frozen Ever After, had only a few minute wait. Even Soarin' was almost walk on which is crazy!! We watched Illuminations which is a nice show. We've seen it many, many times but I always love to stop and watch when I am in the park. We had a great day!!
Wednesday - Magic Kingdom (all day) We started our day by heading over the Poly for breakfast at Ohana which was AWESOME!!!! The restaurant is so cozy and tropical and the food was SO good. OMG!!!..............the pineapple coconut bread was off the hook!! I could've eaten that allllllll day long!! lol Everything is served family style and it's all you can eat, they will keep bringing out whatever you want as long as you're still hungry. We had eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, Mickey waffles, fresh fruit salad, pineapple coconut bread, and fresh juice which was SO good.............it was a pineapple/passion fruit mix. Delish!! After breakfast we walked around the resort and took some pics because I just LOVE the Poly. Then we hopped on the monorail and headed over to MK. Because we took the monorail from MK to the Poly we already went through security so we were able to just scan our bands and get right into the park.
MK was much less crowded that day but hot as balls!!! It was in the upper 90's so by the afternoon we were hot and exhausted and since MK had late EMH (until midnight) we decided to go back to the resort for a but and swim. It was a nice break and we were able to cool off. After swimming we went to the lounge at POR and had drinks and apps and just relaxed a little with the kids before heading back to MK. We felt so much more refreshed and pretty much shut down the park that night. The kids were such troopers!! lol
We had FP for Splash, Big Thunder, and Space Mtn. Again, we took advantage of the Rider Switch so that both DH and I got a chance to ride. The crowds weren't bad at night, especially once the EMH kicked in. It was also nice that most of the "Summit" people had left Disney. It made the crowds lighter and some rides were only a few minutes wait. We didn't wait long for Haunted Mansion or even Pirates!! We watched Wishes again that night because it would be the final night we'd get to see it before the new show premiered that week. So glad we were there to see it one last time, I've been watching those fireworks for YEARS!! FYI.................the new fireworks, "Happily Ever After" blew Wishes away. OMG!!!...........INCREDIBLE!!!!!!
Awesome day, great night and we lucked out and didn't wait too long for a bus to get back to the resort!
Thursday - Animal Kingdom - HOLY HELL!!..............hotter than freaking hot that day!! Almost 100 and you could literally feel your skin sizzle when you're in the sun. We were dyyyyyyying!!!! We didn't have any dining reservations this day, we just wanted to wing it. We had FP for the Primeval Whirl, Expedition Everest, and the Jungle Safari. Again, Rider Switch for Expedition and PW was great!
LOOOOOOVE Expedition Everest, so much fun!!! My DD would ride it all day if she could. lol We lucked out on the safari and got to see a lot of animals. The cutest we saw was a baby elephant, adorable!!!! The park wasn't terribly crowded but it was just so damn hot that it was making it so much less enjoyable. By 5:30ish we decided to call it a day and head back to the resort.
We had lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ and got pretty yummy pulled pork sandwiches. The kids ate roasted chicken and fries, everyone enjoyed their meals. The rest of the day we just snacked here and there. And we drank lots of water................LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER. lol
That night we went swimming at POR, had dinner in the cafeteria and then headed over to FQ at night to check out the grounds and cafeteria. We had delicious, freshly made beignets (they were SOOOOO good!!) and we walked around a bit and took some pics. The kids were pretty tired so we turned in a little earlier than normal since we had a long day at Epcot on Friday.
Friday - Epcot (most of the day) We started the day with breakfast at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary. It was a lot of fun and DELISH!! The kids got to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto. They came around and took pics with everyone, they even goofed off and played silly games with the kids. The food was buffet style, all you can eat. Everything was delicious!!
After breakfast we hopped on the monorail and headed over to Epcot. We had a FP for Frozen Ever After which was VERY cute, same ride experience as the old Maelstrom, but they did a nice job with the changeover to Frozen. I can't believe the wait times, there is just NO way I'd wait hours for it so if you plan on riding, I HIGHLY recommend you get a FP or you'll be kicking yourself. We basically just spent the day hitting up whatever rides we could for a second time and then we spent more time in the countries. We had a nice lunch in France, we got pastries and sandwiches in the Patisserie, everything was very good.
By around 5ish we had done everything and we decided to head back over to the resort. We did a little swimming and then spent the night in Disney Springs. We walked around, shopped, and had some treats from Starbucks later in the night. We took the boat over from POR but going home there was such a loooooong wait for the boat that we took the bus back. I love being in the marketplace but it's hopping on a Friday night so expect crowds, it's even a big hang out for the locals. I was glad we got to do it one last time before we left Disney.
Saturday - Magic Kingdom (all day) We started the day with breakfast at Crystal Palace on Main St. which is one of my favorites!!!! The characters are cute (Tigger, Pooh, Eeyore, and Piglet) but the food is excellent!! Do NOT miss the "Puffed French Toast" at the kids buffet............the BEST EVER!!!!! It's basically a freshly made cinnamon sugar doughnut. HEAVEN!! This is an all you can eat breakfast buffet.
We had FP for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan again as well as Enchanted Tales with Belle which is do NOT miss attraction. It's really well done, kids LOVED it. Thank god we had those FP's too because for some reason the park was PACKED this day. It was also a dismal, rainy day. By mid afternoon we were a little fed up with the crowds and rain so we decided to scoot over to the Boardwalk resort for a bit. We checked out a few shops and then had lunch at Big River Grille and Brewing Works. It looked cute and sounded good however, the food was VERY average at best. We were disappointed. On the plus side, it was pretty inexpensive. We spent a little time walking around and then headed back over to MK.
Once we were back at MK it rained a little more but then cleared up and it was a magnificent evening. Cool and dry and just lovely. They even did an adorable parade in the afternoon called "The Rainy Day Parade".......they only do this parade in icky weather. It was adorable!! The park was still very busy but we managed to do a few things. The ONLY thing that was a MUST DO that day was to see the new fireworks show. Let me tell you, FREAKING AMAZING!!!! Honest to god the best thing I've ever seen from the music to the laser lights to the castle projections. It was just jaw dropping. We loved every damn minute. DO NOT MISS Happily Ever After, it's just incredible. The kids (and even us!!) were in absolute awe. Blows "Wishes" away hands down!!!!
Summary - We had the most amazing time!! Magical from beginning to end. Every cast member was awesome, the resort exceeded my expectations, and we were just having a blast every single second. We had such a great time that we took advantage of their "Bounce Back" offer and we're headed back in December for a few days. Nothing like Disney at Xmas!!!!
Just an FYI - Do yourself a favor and ignore the $10+ price tag and get a giant caramel, chocolate covered Mickey apple. TO DIE FOR and worth EVERY penny!!!!!!!
Rainy Day Parade
Disney Springs
BEST Place on Earth!!!
Message edited 5/25/2017 8:00:59 PM.
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If I think of anything I left out I will add to it! 
